Unit Converter Guide: Quick Reference for Common Conversions
!Measurement and conversion tools
Whether you're cooking, traveling, or working on projects, unit conversion is an essential skill. This guide provides quick reference tables for the most common conversions.
Use our Unit Converter for instant calculations.
Length Conversions
Metric System
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|
| Kilometers (km) | Meters (m) | 1,000 |
| Meters (m) | Centimeters (cm) | 100 |
| Centimeters (cm) | Millimeters (mm) | 10 |
Metric to Imperial
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|
| Kilometers | Miles | 0.621 |
| Meters | Feet | 3.281 |
| Meters | Yards | 1.094 |
| Centimeters | Inches | 0.394 |
Imperial to Metric
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|
| Miles | Kilometers | 1.609 |
| Feet | Meters | 0.305 |
| Yards | Meters | 0.914 |
| Inches | Centimeters | 2.54 |
Quick Reference
| Length | Metric | Imperial |
|---|
| 1 cm | ≈ 0.4 inches |
| 30 cm | ≈ 1 foot |
| 1 meter | ≈ 3.3 feet |
| 1.6 km | ≈ 1 mile |
Weight Conversions
Metric System
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|
| Kilograms (kg) | Grams (g) | 1,000 |
| Grams (g) | Milligrams (mg) | 1,000 |
Metric to Imperial
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|
| Kilograms | Pounds | 2.205 |
| Grams | Ounces | 0.035 |
Imperial to Metric
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|
| Pounds | Kilograms | 0.454 |
| Ounces | Grams | 28.35 |
Quick Reference
| Weight | Metric | Imperial |
|---|
| 100 g | ≈ 3.5 oz |
| 1 kg | ≈ 2.2 lbs |
| 50 kg | ≈ 110 lbs |
| 70 kg | ≈ 154 lbs |
Temperature Conversions
Formulas
Celsius to Fahrenheit:
``
°F = (°C × 9/5) + 32
`
Fahrenheit to Celsius:
`
°C = (°F - 32) × 5/9
`
Celsius to Kelvin:
`
K = °C + 273.15
``
Quick Reference
| Celsius | Fahrenheit | Description |
|---|
| -40°C | -40°F | Same point |
| 0°C | 32°F | Water freezes |
| 20°C | 68°F | Room temperature |
| 37°C | 98.6°F | Body temperature |
| 100°C | 212°F | Water boils |
Mental Math Trick
- C to F: Double, subtract 10%, add 32
- F to C: Subtract 32, add 10%, halve
Volume Conversions
Metric to Imperial (Liquid)
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|
| Liters | Gallons (US) | 0.264 |
| Liters | Quarts (US) | 1.057 |
| Milliliters | Fluid ounces | 0.034 |
Imperial to Metric
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|
| Gallons (US) | Liters | 3.785 |
| Quarts | Liters | 0.946 |
| Fluid ounces | Milliliters | 29.57 |
Cooking Measurements
| Measurement | Milliliters |
|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 5 mL |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 mL |
| 1 cup (US) | 237 mL |
| 1 cup (metric) | 250 mL |
Area Conversions
Common Conversions
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|
| Square meters | Square feet | 10.764 |
| Square feet | Square meters | 0.093 |
| Acres | Square meters | 4,047 |
| Hectares | Acres | 2.471 |
Land Measurements (India)
| Unit | Square Feet |
|---|
| 1 Square yard | 9 sq ft |
| 1 Gunta | 1,089 sq ft |
| 1 Acre | 43,560 sq ft |
| 1 Hectare | 1,07,639 sq ft |
Speed Conversions
Common Conversions
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|
| km/h | mph | 0.621 |
| mph | km/h | 1.609 |
| m/s | km/h | 3.6 |
Quick Reference
| km/h | mph |
|---|
| 30 | 19 |
| 50 | 31 |
| 80 | 50 |
| 100 | 62 |
| 120 | 75 |
Time Conversions
Standard Conversions
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|
| Hours | Minutes | 60 |
| Minutes | Seconds | 60 |
| Days | Hours | 24 |
| Weeks | Days | 7 |
Decimal Time
| Minutes | Decimal Hours |
|---|
| 15 min | 0.25 hr |
| 30 min | 0.50 hr |
| 45 min | 0.75 hr |
Data Storage
| Unit | Bytes |
|---|
| 1 KB | 1,024 |
| 1 MB | 1,048,576 |
| 1 GB | 1,073,741,824 |
| 1 TB | 1,099,511,627,776 |
Approximate:
- 1 KB ≈ 1,000 bytes
- 1 MB ≈ 1 million bytes
- 1 GB ≈ 1 billion bytes
Tips for Remembering Conversions
Mnemonics
- Inches to cm: 1 inch ≈ 2.5 cm (actually 2.54)
- Miles to km: 1 mile ≈ 1.6 km
- kg to lbs: Double and add 10%
- Temperature: 28°C = 82°F (swap digits, roughly)
Pattern Recognition
- Metric to imperial length: usually ×3 (meter to feet)
- Imperial to metric length: usually ÷3
- kg to lbs: roughly ×2
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are there different measurement systems?
Historical reasons. Most of the world uses metric; the US primarily uses imperial. Science universally uses metric.
Is it better to learn metric or imperial?
Learn both. Metric is more logical (base 10), but imperial is common in daily life in some countries.
What's the difference between US and UK measurements?
Main difference is liquid volume:
- US gallon = 3.785 liters
- UK (imperial) gallon = 4.546 liters
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